


Nocturnal Blue

by kerilewallen



Category: The Moody Blues (Band)
Genre: Band Fic, F/M, RPF, Romance, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-19
Updated: 2015-01-19
Packaged: 2018-03-08 05:14:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3196643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kerilewallen/pseuds/kerilewallen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sequel to "Forever Autumn" finds John Lodge involved with a female vampire who returns from the band's past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, sometime in the early 21st Century…

Chapter One

She slipped her way through the throng of women, melting into the environment as though she was nothing more than a shadow. Her wavy gray and blonde hair fluttered behind her, unnoticed by the others, as was her Gothic attire of black lace and leather. Her pale blue eyes reflected a life almost as old as time itself, which, in spite of appearing to be a woman in her late fifties, she nearly was. How many centuries had she walked this earth? So many that she had long lost track.

She didn’t need a ticket to get into the showroom. As usual, all it took was one flick of her fingers and the usher didn’t see her walk past him and down the steps to the front seats. There would be no need to take anyone else’s seat. She would just meld, for lack of a better way of putting it. She would become a part of the crowd and appear to belong. The more sensitive ones would notice her presence. Unfortunately among the Moody Blues fans there were a lot of psychic individuals. It couldn’t be helped. She had a mission to accomplish and she would get through it to the end.

Each time in the past decade that they had toured she went to every concert, always hidden both physically and psychically. It had been regretful that she’d missed their earlier days, but she hadn’t heard their music until the Nineties, when she had made an investment in a computer. Someone online in a forum had mentioned that the band had excellent music to meditate by, which piqued her curiosity enough to buy one CD. The rest soon followed and she found herself obsessed. Maybe she’d finally found the one thing that could bring her peace.

Peace. Wasn’t that a joke? She shook her head at the thought. Rumors and instincts told her that Justin had, in spite of everything, found peace, as well as a soul mate. Something she longed for and would never have, she told herself as the overhead lights flickered, signaling that the concert was about to begin.

The lights went down and she retreated into shadow as the band walked out, one at a time, starting with the Moody Family band members, then Graeme and Ray. John was next, his dark blond-grey curls lending a casual air to him that she found unnerving. For a moment the hunger rose in her and she reined it in sharply. She’d be damned if she’d bring misery onto another Moody Blue. Still, he was a handsome devil and… 

Those green eyes fell directly on her and she gasped aloud. He saw her, she thought desperately, wishing she could retreat and finding herself unable to. John cocked a sensuous grin at her, obviously enjoying her reaction. Walls, she thought, trying to raise them, wincing when Justin walked out and distracted her. He caught sight of her and restrained a sneer, his eyes going cold. Trapped! she thought frantically, finding herself unable to retreat. Damn him! He’d grown in power and he was holding her there, forcing her to stay within his sight. If it hadn’t been for her already-weakened state she could have broken free of him. As it was she remained where he held her.

“What are you doing here?”

She whirled to see another woman standing next to her. Violet eyes delved into hers and she realized that the other was Justin’s consort.

“Lauren,” she hissed out. “Let me go…”

“I don’t think so. Come with me…”

Her surroundings went into the mist as she was caught up, floating...

* * *

“Shania?”

Her eyes fluttered open to see Lauren bent over her. Groggily she struggled to sit up, her mouth tasting of rust, the scent of sulphur assailing her. “Amateurs,” she muttered, gasping for air. “When… when … will you beginners learn… how to … transport properly…”

“Here.” Lauren lifted a glass to her lips and allowed a warm liquid to trickle into Shania’s mouth. Immediately she seized the glass and began to swallow, letting the fluid slide down her throat. A good type, she thought. AB positive had always been her favorite, especially when it came from middle-aged men like the original owner had been. Vitamins, B vitamins, especially; a little bit of high blood pressure medicine but not enough to ruin the flavor and… chocolate. He was a chocolate freak. She grinned in spite of herself. A man who loved chocolate couldn’t be all bad, even if she couldn’t have it anymore, she thought wistfully. Suddenly she remembered why she was there and pushed the glass back into Lauren’s hands.

“You’ve been out for two hours. I thought I’d killed you.” Lauren’s voice had an anxious edge to it. 

Shania let out a short laugh and forced herself to sit up straight. “You do not have the power to kill me, little one. When I die it will be of a time and place of my choosing. Remember that before you go whisking off ones older than you are.”

“I’ll remember that,” Lauren said dryly.

“You’d better, young one. There many more out there, and among them are those as old as mankind itself.”

“As are you.”

“Yes.” Shania forced herself to her feet. “I’ve seen the rise and fall of civilizations; loved ones enter and leave my life…” Her voice trailed off. “Never mind that now. When do you expect Justin here? I wish to speak with him.”

“In fact, he should be here any moment. He wants to know what you’re doing here, especially after all these years.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Mist rose, then disappeared to reveal Justin, his eyes blazing yellow with fury. “How dare you come near me after what I told you years ago? I said I wasn’t yours and I meant it. And yet, here you are.” He bared his teeth and advanced toward her, causing her to take a stance of attack, her veins singing with energy as she outstretched her arms and summoned lightning across the sky outside.

“Justin Hayward, you are so foolish. I let you go because you said you didn’t belong to me, not because I was afraid to hang onto you.” She laughed, feeling her nails lengthen, her teeth sharpen, her hair flowing wildly around her. “Vampires get lonely too, Justin. Why do you think I picked you out above all others to be my consort? I needed a mate to ease my loneliness. Yet you spurned me. I could have destroyed you right then but it was MY choice to let you go. Remember that when you challenge me.” 

The two vampires circled each other slowly. “So, why are you here?” Justin hissed, his voice sounding more animal than human. Neither noticed Lauren who had by then sent a thought out to a friend. He’s out of control…

“I came to express regret for what I did to you years ago,” Shania replied bitterly, pouring every ounce of remaining energy she had left into maintaining a semblance of strength. “I apologize, Justin, for making you what you are.” She felt her body return to its normal state regardless, her appearance returning to the point where she had been turned – in her late teens. She was now vulnerable to him. “Now, kill me, dammit. Put me out of my misery, for centuries of loneliness have become too much to bear.” 

At that point the suite door flew open and John flung himself at Justin, who had paused in puzzlement as Shania sank slowly to the floor, appearing lifeless. He let out a snarl at his friend, fangs bared, then closed his eyes as John pulled him back. Meanwhile Lauren sank next to Shania, her eyes wide with confusion.

“Justin,” John said softly, giving his friend a shake. “Come back to the real world, chap.”

Justin blinked his eyes and to John’s relief they were back to their normal dark cobalt blue. “Did I hurt anybody?” he said in a gravelly tone. John shook his head as he released his friend.

“Damned near.” He glanced at Shania, then froze. “Her! She was at the concert. Only, and this is real bloody odd, she looked older. My God, what happened?”

“Help me get her to the sofa,” Lauren said quietly. John bent and picked up the woman lying on the floor, finding her light as a feather. Too light. He frowned. Odd that he didn’t feel ribs jutting out. Something wasn’t quite right, though.

“What’s wrong with her?” he wondered aloud. Justin let out a dry chuckle and sat next to Shania on the sofa.

“Aside from vampirism, should anything be?” John’s eyes widened and Justin nodded grimly. “She’s the one who… ”

“Jesus.”

“Yeah.” Justin lifted Shania’s upper lips to reveal her fangs, then frowned. “She’s too pale. See? Her gums are white.” He pulled down on her lower eyelids. “No blood. Barely breathing.”

“She’s starving herself.” Lauren’s voice sounded sad.

“What?” He stared at his consort, who by then moved to sit on the sofa and took Shania’s head in her lap.

“Starving herself.” Lauren let her fingertips rest on Shania’s temples. “Guilt. Shame. Weary of the years… of being alone.” Tears began to streak down her cheeks. “After you rejected her she gave up trying to find another mate. She’s lost so many, to fire, to the stake… no more friends, no more loves. Most of the Old Ones are gone and she is tired.”

Silence hung in the air as the three of them soaked that one in. Finally John shook his head and pulled a chair over next to the sofa. 

“Reminds me of when you were turned, Justin,” he commented. “You wanted to die and I refused to assist you.” He lifted up Shania’s hand and felt her pulse. “She’s still alive. Too bad there isn’t a vampire hospital we could take her to.” He shook his head. “Another suicidal vampire.” Without thinking he pushed back a strand of hair from her face. 

“What about blood transfusions? We have plenty in the refrigerator,” Lauren said thoughtfully, “for emergencies. Still have that transfusion kit, right?”

“You mean the one we bought just in case one of us was too incapacitated to feed? Sure,” was Justin’s reply. “We also have another problem.”

“What’s that?”

“Where is she staying? Which room? She had to have made arrangements for a place to sleep in complete darkness.”

Lauren laid her fingertips upon Shania’s temples again, taking several deep breaths and closing her eyes. Suddenly she smiled and shook her head.

“Would you believe the suite next door? I’ll slip through and open the door. Justin, please get the stuff we need. John, I’d transport her but she barely made it the last time. You can carry her over easily enough.” Lauren rose to her feet. “Meet you over there.”

She vanished, leaving the two men staring at where she’d been. “Now that’s what I call a take-charge kind of lady,” John said as he stood up, then bent over to lift Shania in his arms.

“Yeah, but I don’t mind,” Justin admitted as he walked into the small kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “Fortunately vampires don’t have to worry about blood type,” he added as he pulled out four one-pint bags of donated blood and set them on the table. “Let’s see.” He walked into the bedroom, then emerged with a box. “Go ahead. I’ll be right behind you,” he told John as he picked up the blood and stacked it on the box, then picked it up and vanished into thin air.

“Damn, I wish I knew how they did that,” John said out loud as he exited the Haywards’ room with Shania in his arms.

* * *

It was close to sunrise by the time they were finished. Shania was breathing deeply and the color had returned to her cheeks, making her look more youthful than ever. Still, John thought, he preferred her to when she looked closer to his age. Not that it mattered how he preferred she looked, he told himself firmly. He’d seen Justin and Lauren age themselves over the years, and the few times he’d seen one of them revert was when they were coming off an exhausting time of it.

Like now, he mused, taking in the fact that Justin looked like he did ten years ago at the age of forty-seven, and that Lauren once again looked thirty-nine. Both had stretched out on the sofa, with Justin cradling Lauren in his arms.

“About your bedtime, isn’t it?” John said softly. Justin waved off the suggestion and yawned. “I assume she’ll be all right by herself until sunset.”

Lauren shrugged. “She’s got her room like we always get ours – set up for day sleeping and extra dark. Yeah, she’ll probably be fine, as long as she doesn’t get up and start wandering around.”

John looked down at Shania again, trying not to think how vulnerable she was during the day. “So, where do we go from here?” he finally asked. “Just leave her alone and hope for the best?”

“Lauren and I can’t watch over her,” Justin replied as he gently coaxed his consort to sit upright so that he could do the same. 

“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” John said dryly with a shake of his head. “Okay, that leaves me. You have what, thirty minutes of night left?” When the couple both nodded he continued, “I’ll go to my room, get some things, and sleep here. You two I’ll see sometime after sunset.”

Once he’d returned and was alone with Shania, John showered, changed into a pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt, then came out of the bathroom and paused at the foot of the bed. There was no way his back could take sleeping on the sofa, he thought with a shake of his head. He shrugged, then got into the opposite side of the king-sized bed, pulled the covers up, and fell immediately asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Warmth stole through her, spreading from her arm and easing its way along her veins. Shania took one deep breath after another, sensing energy creeping into her. Around her she heard voices, all muddled and blended together. 

Shania?

The presence was warm, feminine.

Lauren?

Yes. Get some rest.

Too much pain.

We will help you face it. You are now among friends. Just rest until the next sunset.

Very well.

She sank into oblivion, the world passing her by as the world of mortals took control.

* * *

In what seemed like mere seconds her eyes flew open, taking in the fact that someone had left on a small lamp for lighting. The hunger was slight, meaning… she looked down at herself and groaned. She’d been so out of it that she’d reverted. She closed her eyes, concentrated, then felt her physical appearance go back to the age she had been using for several months.

Slowly she turned over, then froze at the sight that greeted her. John Lodge? In her bed? Bloodlust niggled at her and she shoved it back as she regarded him thoughtfully. He must be one fearless mortal to take such risks, she thought as she reached over to gently shake his shoulder. Immediately he blinked awake with a startled expression on his face before he appeared to realize his surroundings. He stretched, then gave her a smile so warm that she felt it wash over her.

“I’d say good morning but we’re on the wrong side of that,” he said softly. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she admitted. “A little on the hungry side, but not too bad.” She fell silent for a moment, thinking of the previous evening. “I came here to die and instead was rescued,” she finally said. “Why would you do that? Especially after what I did to Justin.”

He shrugged. “Because you deserve to live as much as any other being. You matter. As for Justin, yeah, he had a shaky start. He went through the whole, ‘I can’t go on, John, please stake me’ sort of thing. You know something? I told him to get over it and live the way he was now meant to live. Then he met Lauren and you know the rest. If anything, he’s happier than he was before. He’s much more open and relaxed.”

Justin was happy? Shania mused over that one for a moment, shook her head and let out a sigh. “Well, I’m happy for him, then,” she finally said as she sat up. “You’ll have to excuse me for a few minutes. I need to change, and I really need to feed.”

“There’s some blood in the refrigerator that they left for you.” When she stared at him he continued, “Donated blood, mostly from all of us. Except for Gray. He’s afraid of needles.”

“You mean neither of them feed on humans?” Now she was curious. 

“Well, not entirely so. There are some fans who found out about their ‘predicament’ and offer themselves when we’re in town. One caught Justin in the act and word went underground. No strings attached, no sex, no arousal, as both of them keep that between the two of them. The people they have trusted have proven trustworthy. I’ve had a few tell me it was an honor.”

“Sounds like the Moody Blues inspire loyalty.” Unbelievable, she thought. She’d spent all those centuries in secrecy and one of her own lineage had a following of people willing to help. 

“I don’t know if it’s loyalty or the fact that a lot of them are women who have been dying to get their hands on Justin,” he said with a grin, “but, regardless, it works.”

“Food for thought,” she murmured as she puzzled over it. Quietly she got out of bed, strolled over to the walk-in closet and shut the door behind her. “Don’t mind me,” she called out to John. “I have got to get something clean on.”

Moments later she emerged to find John zipping up his jeans and pulling down his tee shirt. Once finished he turned around, then froze, his eyes widening.

“What? Did I do something wrong?” Self-consciously she smoothed down the black lace-up blouse and made sure her black jeans weren’t hiking up past her ankles.

“No. Nothing wrong. In fact,” he flushed a little, “you look fantastic.”

“Really? Haven’t combed my hair or put on make-up yet.” If she was mortal she would have blushed. 

“Yeah, really.” He approached her and she held her breath as he reached out to trace her cheek gently. “Oh, and I much prefer you this way than as a kid,” he added, his green eyes twinkling at her. “Tell you what. I’ll shave, you put on your makeup, feed, then we’ll get out of here. Concert is in about two hours, so we have a little time.” He cocked his head, as if listening, then shook his head. “Better hurry. Lauren wants to introduce you to everyone.”

She barked a laugh. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

* * *

Lauren took Shania around, introduced her, and that was that. She felt almost giddy, being surrounded by the band that she had become such an enormous fan of. Ray gave her a hug, while Gray began telling her some of the more amusing stories involving Justin as a vampire. Both had long gotten over their fear of Justin and were once again treating him as they had before.

John was a puzzle, she decided as he escorted her backstage. That he was attracted to her surprised her – she wasn’t as gifted as Lauren was with psychic abilities, but had enough to sense the attraction. The caring part threw her off even more. Mortals never wanted to cherish her kind. They never had, so why would one want to now?

Once in the dressing room she sat on the sofa and watched as he began preparing to go onstage. His attire was simple enough – he wore all black. The curling iron came out and he began going over his hair with it, taking his natural wavy hair and giving it soft curls. 

“So, Shania, what do you think of everyone so far?” he asked as he misted some hairspray over his head.

“Not what I expected,” she admitted. “I feel as though I’ve stepped into a world where my kind is actually accepted, something I’d never dared dream of before. I’ve gotten used to hiding over the centuries, and here I don’t have to.”

He grinned at her. “Good. I suppose now you’ll want to ride along with us.”

“Only if everyone is in agreement that I can.” Now that she had discovered this new, exciting way to live she wanted it to continue.

“I don’t foresee it as being a problem. I’ll bring it up to the guys, of course, but I don’t think having one more vampire along for the ride will faze them. One more question.”

“Which is?”

“Doing anything after the concert? As she stared at him he added, “Well, I thought we could take in a show, or even hit the casino for a while.”

“You want to go out with me.” She couldn’t keep the disbelief out of her voice. “I fail to understand why.”

“Let’s just say I find you very attractive and I’d love to get to know you better,” was his calm reply as he went over his appearance one more time, then turned to her. “How about it?”

“You know, I haven’t done this in quite a long time,” she admitted. “The whole mutual attraction and courtship thing.”

“Ah hah! So you do find me attractive.” Now he was smiling at her.

“I’d be crazy not to.” She stood up to gaze directly into his eyes. “Very well. Yes, I’d like to do something after the concert. I leave what up to you.”

* * *

This time Shania had a legitimate ticket in the front row, thanks to Lauren who now sat next to her. For once she wouldn’t have to hide in the crowd, now that she was “out” with the Moodies. A few of the fans were eyeing her curiously, and she realized they must be the ones that John had told her about. She smiled back at them, relieved to see that they returned the smiles, nudged each other, and one, a good-looking man about fifty years old, winked at her. Oh great, she thought, noticing the Band-Aid on the side of his neck. Looked as though Lauren had already fed on him, she thought, shaking her head at the man with a look of reproval. Once a night was enough.

The overhead lights flickered, then dimmed to darkness as the stage lights went up. Out walked the back-up musicians fondly known as the Moody Family, then Gray, who waved cheerfully to the crowd. Then followed Ray and immediately Shania felt a surge of melancholy. She looked over at Lauren and found she was wearing a troubled expression on her face.

“What?” She had to lean close to Lauren in order to not be loud. Lauren shook her head and sighed.

“He’ll be leaving us soon, I think.” As Shania stared at her she added, “We’ll talk later.”

Then John walked out to screams of delight and a rowdy applause. He strapped on his bass guitar and smiled, causing more screams from the women in the crowd. His eyes fell on the two in the front row and he grinned, winking at Shania. Lauren turned, gave her an “oh really?” look, then smiled.

John paused for a moment, then looked off to the right and forced himself not to frown. Instead, he pasted on a smile and tipped his head to the woman who always sat in front of him. Wanda McKenzie, again, he thought unhappily. The past ten years had the haunted-looking brunette always in front of him, gazing at him with way too much intensity for his liking. Crushes he didn’t mind; in fact he was used to them. This one, though, was downright obsessed. Scuttlebutt had it that she had a husband and daughter at home, and that she’d nearly spent the family into bankruptcy over her obsession with John. Gordon had passed that one along, since the woman had made friends with the extended band members – or at least that’s what she thought.

Justin walked out to mass hysteria, effectively distracting John from Wanda’s intense gaze. Justin then extended his arms to the audience, then turning as his guitar technician brought out the first of many guitars that he would play that night. He strapped it on and hooked it up to the amplifier, then turned, smiled broadly and began to play. Since Justin was no longer seducing every woman in the crowd and feeding on them, his performances had improved dramatically. He was warm and funny, behaving as if he felt as happy as he truly was.

The next thing Shania knew Lauren was standing on a chair and coaxing her to join in. The two stood among the crowd, Lauren playing up to her consort, Shania to John, and both women were laughing. Justin and John returned the favor, hips thrusting to the music. John’s eyes gazed into hers and she let him explore her mind, allowing him to see inside of her as the music played on.

* * *

“You’re doing what?”

John merely grinned as he paused in front of the full-length mirror to make sure every hair was in place before going back out after intermission. Justin was standing next to him, his expression that of disbelief.

“Run that one by me one more time, Rocker. I need to make sure I heard it right.”

“I’m taking Shania out after the concert.”

“Good God.” Justin shook his head. “Didn’t take you long, did it?”

“I guess not,” John admitted. He paused for a moment, then added, “And if you’re about to give me a lecture on what I’m letting myself in for, save it. Trust me, I know.”

“No, I wasn’t about to lecture you, Rocker. In fact,” Justin sighed, “and I know you’ll find this strange coming from me, but I’m more concerned for Shania than I am for you. I know you can take care of yourself. Remember, we had to rescue her only last night.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” John said quietly. “In fact, it weighs heavily on my mind.” He noticed a mist coming up behind them and Lauren appeared, immediately giving John an odd look.

“Flirting with her already?” she asked, lifting one eyebrow at him.

“Bloody hell, I feel like I’m getting lectured in stereo,” he grumbled. “Yes, I’m flirting with her, Lauren. Yes, we plan on going out after the concert. Yes, I’d like to see her on a regular basis. And yes, dammit, I know she’s vulnerable, and I know what I’m letting myself in for. Did I cover everything?”

“Well, I guess he told you,” Justin said with a chuckle. Immediately John whirled to stand nose-to-nose with him.

“You’re not getting off so easily,” he growled out. “I am perfectly capable of being a grown man and making my own decisions.”

“Easy, Rocker. Nobody said you couldn’t,” Justin replied softly. “We’re just concerned, is all.”

“Oh, Justin, let him be.” Lauren reached up absently to pat Justin’s hair in place. “I have a feeling they’ll be fine.”

Justin let out a sigh and turned to his friend. “I’m going to let it go, John. Like you said, you’re a grown man capable of making your own decisions.”

“Thank you,” John said, just as the lights flickered to indicate intermission was over. “And… I think we’re wanted on stage.”

“Yeah, we are. Oh, and your little friend is out there tonight,” Justin added. “Wonder what she’d think of you flirting with another woman in the crowd?”

“Wanda will have to get over it,” John stated firmly. “I can’t let my life revolve around one crazy person.”

With that Lauren vanished, and the two men waited to walk out on stage.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

John set his duffle bag on the floor of his suite and sagged into a chair. Performances were as draining as they were exhilarating, and tonight’s had been no exception. As for Shania, it was like watching a clipped bird regain her wings and fly. The sadness had vanished, replaced with the joy he’d longed for her to feel. How long that joy would stay with her remained to be seen.

The familiar mist swirled in front of him and he smiled as Shania became visible. She had changed into black lacy diaphanous dress that swirled almost to her ankles. A smile broke out on her face as she sank to the floor in front of him and began helping him out of his boots.

“Feet hurt?” she asked softly as he sighed and stretched his feet into her lap.

“Yeah.” The way she was massaging his feet was fantastic, he thought, enjoying the tingles that went up his calves and thighs. “Are you seducing me, Shania?”

She paused in her massage to gaze up at him. “Only if it’s what you want, John. I won’t… I won’t take you by force.”

“It’s what I want.” Her relief was evident and he reached down to caress her cheek. “But first I’d like for the two of us to get out and go through the casino. I’m pretty good at blackjack.”

“Gambling never made much sense to me,” she told him as she rose to her feet. “However, I’ll go with you and maybe see what I’ve been missing out on.”

They wandered through the lush casino, pausing at the occasional table so John could play whatever game struck his fancy. He noticed some fans eyeing them in a peculiar way, darting glances between Shania and him, shooting them puzzled looks. Finally at a blackjack table one came to stand next to Shania and he braced himself. One of Justin’s, he thought, noticing the twin punctures on the woman’s neck. Oh, that’s right, he realized. He’d seen this one backstage even before Justin had turned. He’d forgotten her name, though. No time like the present to find out.

“And your name is?” John said in a soft tone, causing the woman’s eyes to widen a fraction. 

“Leah. And yes, I’m one of them, in case you couldn’t tell,” was her equally soft reply.

“And you’re standing here because… why?”

“We’re curious. We saw you at the show,” Leah looked at Shania, “and we are wondering who you are.”

“My current name is Shania. I have no surname.” He felt Shania’s faint tremble and reached down to give her hand a comforting squeeze. Had to be unnerving for a vampire to be out in the open, he thought.

“Current name. You must be quite old. No offense meant, of course,” Leah added hastily.

At that point John went bust, shrugged it off, and backed away from the table. He then tucked Shania under his arm and the three of them began walking back toward the hotel.

“None taken. Yes, I’m very old. I’ve had many names over the years and will probably have many more,” Shania told her. “In fact, I’m not even sure how old I am, it’s been so long.”

He sensed she was starting to relax and allowed himself a smile. Normally he didn’t allow fans to carry on personal conversations, but in this case he was going to let it slide. If she was going to come along with the Moodies she would no doubt become well acquainted with this particular branch of the fandom. He listened to the two women chatting back and forth as they strolled, Shania’s guard slowly giving way.

“Well, I’ll leave you two alone,” Leah said once they’d reached the elevator. “Shania, if you need anything, you know where to find us. If there’s a concert, there’s always someone you can trust. ”

“Thank you,” was Shania’s reply. 

Leah merely grinned and walked away, leaving the two to look after her, shaking their heads.

“Now word will spread among them about you and you’ll be accepted,” John said as he punched the elevator button. “I’ve seen Leah around, just didn’t know her name. She practically worships the ground Justin walks on, but in a safe, matter-of-fact way. No stalking or nutty behavior. I know Legs has always trusted her even when he was so closed off.”

“This is strange,” Shania finally said once the elevator had closed behind them. “I’m not used to all of the ‘niceness.’ Not all of your fans are like that. Ever see Moody fans argue online?”

“Unfortunately, yes, and usually over pure daftness.” The elevator stopped at the floor where the band was staying and he led her out, his arm going around her shoulders again as they walked. He felt his heartbeat pick up as they neared their block of rooms. They paused at his door and he slid the key card through the slot, then ushered her inside. Once inside he walked over to the patio doors and slid them open.

“I’d love to get some room service. For me, at least,” he added as she grinned wryly. “And, I don’t know about you, but I’d also love to sit and chat a bit.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Shania replied. “You order room service. I’ll slip into my room and get myself some refreshments out of the refrigerator. Meet you on the balcony,” she added before disappearing.

Sometime later found both of them seated on the balcony, enjoying the moonlight as it shown over Las Vegas. John watched Shania as she sipped from a glass of donated blood, pausing occasionally to savor each drop. The last he’d ever thought was that he’d be sharing a wonderful evening with a female vampire, he thought with amusement as he popped a Hershey’s Kiss in his mouth and chased it down with white wine.

“You know, I don’t know who this guy was, but he definitely tastes good,” Shania commented, getting a cocked brow and slanted grin from him.

“You can tell what you’re drinking?” he questioned as she poured herself another glass.

“Oh, yes. This is the second time I’ve had this one. He’s middle-aged, AB positive, is taking a little high blood pressure medicine and loves chocolate. He ought to be bottled.”

John let out an embarrassed laugh. “Well, I’ve been given many compliments, but never about my blood.” He eyed the stack of Hershey’s Kisses and shook his head.

“You? This is you? Oh, my.” Shania giggled in spite of herself and he laughed aloud. She had such a beautiful laugh and he wanted to hear more of it.

Slowly he moved closer to her on the bench, letting his arm slide around her shoulders. She leaned against him, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. He felt the warmth of her breath on his neck and wondered what it would be like to have her lips on his pulse point, her teeth sinking into him. He took in a deep breath and let it out, burying his face in her hair.

“John?”

“Yes, love?” He pressed his lips against her hair, then her forehead, then down to her cheek, his other arm reaching to pull her more firmly against him.

“John, maybe I should leave.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m… transforming.” She tipped her head up to gaze into his eyes. Her irises were glowing with a yellow light and he saw that her incisors had lengthened into fangs. “I had hoped I could control myself, just for one night, but… I can’t.” She buried her face in her hands and let out a sob.

“Stop, love.” John gently pried her hands away from her face. “Please stop.” He kissed her cheek, and then brushed his lips across hers. He felt her shiver, her lips parting as he kissed her again, then again, each one growing in intensity. His tongue grazed against hers, then explored her mouth, tracing her teeth and getting a whimper from her.

“I want you, Shania,” he muttered as he left a trail of kisses down her neck. Her fingers tangled into his hair as she sagged against him. “All of you, Shania, no matter what that means. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Oh, John…”

“I’m going to carry you into that bedroom and get naked with you under the sheets. And then I am going to make love to you, head to toe; touch you everywhere, taste you all over. As for consequences,” he lifted his head to gaze into her eyes, “I’m prepared to take them. In fact, I hope to.” His mouth came down on hers again, his head rotating above hers as he took her mouth with his tongue.

Shania felt him rise from the bench, was aware of him sweeping her into his arms, his mouth caressing hers with every step he took. He had no idea what he was letting himself in for… or did he? she wondered, feeling the last of her resistance slip away under his expert caresses. With one fluid motion he lowered her to the floor, letting her slide down his body, his arousal thrusting against her. Another move saw her dress skitter to the floor; he lifted her again and laid her out on the bed, his eyes sliding over her and taking in her delicate-hued body.

“Beautiful,” he growled out as he quickly unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside. His jeans and underwear followed and she let out a hiss of pleasure, unmindful of how it sounded. He was marvelously formed, she thought with delight, a throaty laugh escaping her.

“Come, John.” She extended her arm to him. “Come, discover me.” Another hiss escaped her as he chuckled and lowered himself to the bed.

“All in good time, love. All in good time.” He traced her fangs lightly and she licked hungrily at his fingertips, capturing his hand in hers.

A cry escaped her as he brought his body up against hers, lifting one silken thigh around his hip. His hands, she thought, shivering as he began tracing slow, delicious circles around the tip of one breast before catching it between his fingertips and rolling it into hard erection. His other hand wasn’t idle; he was smoothing it over her delicate skin, pausing here and there to feather his fingertips over her. His mouth soon followed and she cried out again, tangling her fingers in his curly mane.

“John,” she sighed, hissing softly when he parted her thighs and began to touch, stroke, and probe her into mindless passion. She felt the heat of his breath on her inner thighs, then his tongue, and she struggled with it. Her hands left his hair to dig into the sheets, her lengthening nails ripping the fabric as he lifted her thighs over his shoulders and began loving her in earnest, his eyes never leaving her face. 

He took in her blazing yellow eyes, her mouth open, fangs lengthened, and those soft hissing noises coming from her that could only indicate she was a vampire in a high state of arousal. She was destroying the sheets and he didn’t care. He grinned, slid a finger inside of her and drew her aching center into his mouth. Immediately she let out a scream and began to convulse with her climax.

“John, John, what are you doing to me?” she whispered out as he came down on top of her and draped her thighs around his hips.

“Loving you,” was his reply as he slid into her. They both groaned and she wrapped herself around him. The feel of him, she thought as they rocked together, his mouth caressing hers hungrily. She dropped her hands to his flexing behind and urged him on.

“Yes, like that,” he muttered as she began dropping heated kisses down his cheek to his neck. He tipped his head to one side to allow her access to his vein. “Please,” he added brokenly, thrusting harder, one hand grasping the back of her head and guiding her mouth to his neck. She paused for a moment, taking in his scent; the earthy clean smell of aftershave and soap combined with his own somethingness, the thing that makes each person an individual. It was his essence and it made her giddy. He was warm and sexy, and beneath that she sensed something else – he cared about her.

“There… there will be no turning back.” One last out, offered freely.

“I don’t want to turn back.”

She opened her mouth and sank her teeth into his neck. John felt a surge go through him and he gasped as their minds intertwined as tightly as their bodies. She was beautiful, he thought, feeling everything she felt as he convulsed above her then cried out, his hips pounding hers erratically. His climax went on and on as their souls joined and it was his undoing. Her lips broke free of his neck and he heard her sob, felt her tears, as his orgasm became hers. What was happening? he wondered wildly, winding his arms tightly around her as they clung to each other.

Seizing her buttocks, John rolled to his back, placing her on top of him. “Ride me, love,” he said hoarsely, growling when she complied, her breasts swaying in rhythm with their lovemaking. He began thrusting with her, laughing weakly just before they both climaxed again, and again….


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

They lay bathed in moonlight, Shania curling herself around him, her fingertips caressing his pectorals tenderly. They’d finally called a break, not because John couldn’t maintain the pace, but because they both wanted to relax together, a tangle of legs and arms. The sensual aura of lovemaking, musky and warm, now blended with his scent. She sighed and nuzzled him tenderly, the flames gone from her eyes, her teeth back to normal. He was a man among men, she decided, to have seen her as he did and want more.

John stretched beneath her, then snuggled even closer. Gently he caressed her hair, moved his hand down her spine. He’d never felt anything like this, he decided as he picked up on her emotions, letting them flow through him. His mind was awhirl with possibilities. They were linked, and he loved the feel of it. 

“So, what happens now?” he asked softly, pressing his lips to her forehead. 

“Whatever you want to happen,” was her quiet response. “I won’t enslave you like I tried to do to Justin. If you want me to feed off of you, I will. If you want me to release you, I will do that, as well. Should you decide to turn, I can help you with that. If not, I’ll enjoy you as a mortal for as long as you’re around.”

“I see.” Turn him? For a long moment he lay there, letting that sink in. “Well, I won’t deny the thought is tempting,” he admitted, “but it’s something I’ll have to think about.”

“Of course.” She leaned up to press her lips to his neck, causing a shudder to go through him at the memory of her drinking from him. Arousal swept through him and he groaned, thrusting up against her.

“Damn,” he muttered, his hands gliding over her. Her own arousal slid through him, causing him to push her back onto the bed and come down between her thighs. With one smooth thrust he was inside of her, making them both moan. He felt her hands all over him, the sweetness of her being enveloping him into a warm, sensual sensation, causing him to bury himself deep within her, then out, then back in with a force that left them both gasping. Almost immediately he felt desire overwhelm, then consume him as they climaxed together.

* * *

John stretched and reached over to find an empty pillow. Of course, he realized as he blinked awake. It was daylight. He could feel her faintly, just a mild niggle at the back of his consciousness. It would take some getting used to, but he had the feeling that the process would be pleasurable. He looked at the clock and noticed something laying in front of it. A room key, he realized as he picked up the card, a smile breaking out on his face. Had to be the key to hers. Good. Now he wouldn’t have to bug one of the Haywards to get into her room.

Once he’d showered and dressed he stood in front of the bathroom mirror to shave. Damn, he thought as his eyes fell upon where she’d bitten him. Two twin puncture holes that fortunately most fans wouldn’t notice, although there would be the ones that would. Maybe his make-up artist could… He froze, then shook his head at his own thoughts. They would just have to get over it and get used to it, he decided as he finished shaving, then splashed after shave on, making sure to avoid the bite marks. That probably would sting like hell, he thought as he stepped into his shoes, grabbed his wallet and his key card, then left his room. 

Too bad any sense of privacy he’d had was gone, he thought unhappily. Several years ago he could walk the halls of Caesars Palace and at least make it out the door before fans accosted him. Odd that they’d all thought the strange ones who had followed the band around were gone when they’d gotten back together in 1978. If anything, it had gotten worse over the years, especially where Justin was concerned. The next thing would be bodyguards, and it would be 1974 all over again.

The craziness had cost him his marriage and any semblance of a normal life. Normal. What a joke. He stepped into a thankfully empty elevator and hit the button for the lobby. With any kind of luck he’d make it without being accosted. He let out a sigh at the thought. He was starting to sound like Legs, he realized. John straightened himself as the elevator door opened to reveal Wanda McKenzie, who went promptly into reverse and began stuttering out a greeting.

“Relax, Wanda,” he told her as he got off the elevator and started to walk past her. “I don’t bite, you know.”

“Not yet, anyway,” she muttered, causing him to freeze in his tracks. Slowly he turned to her, taking in the way she was staring at his neck, her eyes wide.

“Meaning?” He raised a brow at her and she blushed. Great, he thought. Somehow she had found out, and while she would probably keep her mouth shut, remarks like that he didn’t need.

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

“Right.” At that moment all he wanted to do was give her a piece of his mind, but he held his tongue. “I didn’t think you meant anything other than just joking around. Correct?” Now his eyes were boring into hers, and he couldn’t help feeling a little hostile. All those years of protecting Justin and Lauren, and by proxy Shania, could be for nothing if he went overboard.

“Uh, yeah, correct.”

“See? Nothing that couldn’t be cleared right up.” He knew his smile didn’t reach his eyes, no matter how hard he tried. Not a good enough actor. “Now, I’m going to grab some breakfast. See you tonight at the concert.” 

Without another word he spun on his heels and began walking across the lobby to the café, thankful that she didn’t follow him. Justin wasn’t going to like this one bit, he thought glumly as he went into the café to order breakfast.

* * *

Shania felt reality settle in around her and opened her eyes, waiting for her vision to come into focus. A warm, pleasant sensual feeling slid through her and she smiled as she turned to see John lying next to her. This one was different than any of the lovers she’d had over the centuries, she realized as another warmth went through her mind. Love. She hadn’t been in love for so long she had wondered if she ever would again. 

He moved closer to her, then leaned over to press his lips gently against hers. “I missed you,” he said gruffly, tenderly caressing her cheek. “And yes, I got plenty of sleep, although I just about didn’t make it to breakfast.”

She returned the kiss and held him against her, taking in his essence. “I missed you, too,” she said softly, feeling herself tremble as his emotions became hers. “John, I…”

“I know, Shania. I feel it, too,” was his quiet response. “How could I not love someone as beautiful as you are, inside and out?”

“Oh, John, you don’t know how much it means for me to hear you say that.” She blinked back tears and buried her face into his broad chest.

For a long moment they held each other, John smoothing her hair and pressing his lips against the top of her head. “I don’t fall in love easily,” he finally said, “nor do I use those words lightly.”

“I know. Neither do I. In fact, I’d lost all hope of ever finding love again. The years have been lonely.” She lifted her head to look up at him, losing herself in his green-eyed gaze. “And, I think before I lose control we’d better get out of this bed.”

“Awe, you’re no fun.” He grinned impishly at her as he set her back from him and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “But you’re right,” he added. “The concert is in about an hour and there’s no time for fun and games. Not the kind you and I prefer, anyway,” he said with a wink. She laughed softly and sat up, then swung out of bed and stretched.

“Give me a few minutes to get ready and…”

“I know. Makeup, hair, shower…” his voice trailed off as his face lit up. “We’ve not showered together. Yet.”

“Once again, no time for that type of shower,” was her reply as she walked into the bathroom. “After the concert, my love.”

* * *

That night the two women were seated off to the right, between Justin and John. Shania could feel life teeming around her, sensed she was being watched and finally turned her head to see the same group of fans she’d seen the previous night, only now she was within arm’s reach. One in particular was giving her the oddest look she’d ever seen – a mixture of fear and jealousy. The others were attempting to distract her, from what Shania could tell. 

“Lauren?” she asked softly, trying to keep herself from being overheard. “Who is that woman?”

Lauren looked over in the woman’s direction, then swiftly away. “Wanda. She’s been a thorn in John’s side for years. And…” Lauren drifted off, her eyes unseeing, “damn, she knows.” She tipped her head slightly and continued. “Had a confrontation with John earlier today. Darn him… okay, he didn’t want to upset us.” She sighed. “He’s afraid Justin will withdraw.”

The overhead lights flickered, causing cheers to go up as everyone took their seats. Shania settled herself into her chair, feeling suddenly a little nervous. The risk of trusting people was that sooner or later someone was bound to take advantage of that trust, she thought uneasily. Lauren gave her hand a comforting squeeze and smiled at her as the house lights went down and the stage lights went up.

“Let’s ignore the woman and enjoy ourselves,” Lauren said quietly. At that moment the band began coming out, one-by-one, with her consort and husband last, as always. 

John took a moment to wink at Shania, then the music began, sweeping over them. All else forgotten, Shania leaned forward in her chair, no longer caring about one mortal woman’s jealousy. What was that compared to the love she shared with John? she thought, allowing herself to smile up at him. He smiled in return, obviously not caring what anybody thought of the attention he was giving her.

* * *

They stumbled into her room, laughing softly as John took her into his arms and spun the two of them around. She leaned up to kiss him, a sigh escaping her as he returned the hungry embrace, his tongue probing her mouth. His hands tugged on her clothing and she pretended to fend him off, giggling all the while.

“My, my, aren’t you the impatient one,” she teased softly as he backed her toward the bed. He merely grinned, sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her to his lap. For a long moment he looked at her, started as if to speak, then stopped himself.

“What, my love?” she asked him, running her fingers through his shaggy hair.

“I don’t know how to put this,” he began. When she stared at him he plunged on. “Justin hints at something, and I’d like to see for myself.”

“Go on.”

“He’s more or less implied that vampires can become very wild during lovemaking, something that humans haven’t experienced.” Her eyes widened as he added, “Well, count this human into wanting to find out for myself.”

She looked stunned, he thought, wearing an expression that could only be defined as that of disbelief. “It’s okay,” he told her as she finally looked away, embarrassed. “Listen, it’s not just curiosity. I want to see everything about you.” 

“I’m not sure that’s a side you’ll want to see,” was her quiet reply, a soft moan coming from her when he began dropping soft wet kisses down the side of her neck. He nipped lightly at her with his teeth and she let out a shuddering breath. “Okay, you win. But, something you need to know.”

John lifted her blouse up over her head and tossed it aside, then began working the front hook of her bra. “I’m all ears, love,” he said as the bra joined her top. 

“I won’t hurt you. If you were another vampire, there might be a little blood play involved. But, you don’t heal like we do, so that’s out.” 

He pushed her back onto the bed, then began working her slacks and panties down over her hips. “Okay, that I can understand,” he said agreeably, “although words like ‘blood play’ make me wonder what’s going on in Justin’s bedroom.”

She laughed and lifted her hips to assist him. “Some things are just best left to the imagination. However, you want to know, and for all that I have my misgivings, I’ll let you experience it.” As he reached for the hem of his tee shirt she stopped him. “First things, first. Lie down and enjoy yourself.”

Cheerfully he obliged her, letting his head rest comfortably on the pillows as she knelt at his feet. She bowed her head and took several deep breaths, as if gathering together her courage. “It’s okay, love,” he said softly. She chuckled in return, a deep, eerie sound that made him blink as she lifted her head to gaze into his eyes.

Her eyes were cat-like, her slitted irises glowing with the yellow light he’d become accustomed to. Was it his imagination, or were her eye sockets dark and sunken, her cheekbones more prominent? Not his imagination, he decided, watching as she began crawling up between his legs, still laughing, mouth open to reveal her fangs.

“Of course it’s okay,” she hissed at him, licking her lips. He felt himself harden, groaning when her hands found his crotch and began rubbing him through his jeans. “I’m going to devour you, mortal.”

“By all means, have at it.” Now she was on her hands and knees, hovering over him. She brought her mouth down on his, hard enough he could feel her teeth bruising his lips. Her tongue found his and she began probing his mouth feverishly, one hand going down to his groin again. He returned the embrace, reaching up to palm her nipples, then moving down between her thighs to find her wet and swollen for him. 

Her mouth left his and she rose to her knees, letting her hands rest on his chest. Suddenly her nails sunk into the fabric and she ripped the shirt open to reveal his chest, yanking the fabric away from his body and tossing it aside. Her nails raked up and down, pausing to flick over his nipples before leaving light scratch marks along his flesh. John moaned and arched into her hands, hearing her laugh as her hands reached for the zipper on his jeans.

“Nice and hard for me, John?” When he nodded she chuckled again. “You’ll be even harder by the time I’m done with you. So tell me, beloved. Would you object if I bit you more than once?”

“No,” he said hoarsely, a sigh of relief coming from him when she lowered the zipper and pulled his hardened length free from its confines. Slowly she traced her nails along him, causing him to shudder with anticipation. Her skin was now paler, her eyes prominent and if anything her fangs had lengthened, he noticed as she lowered her head to envelop him in her mouth.

He could feel her sharpened teeth lightly rake against his manhood, but not penetrating as she took him in deeper and deeper. His hands tangled in her hair and he began thrusting in rhythm, gasping as he felt himself hit the back of her throat. She swallowed, constricting around him and he cried out. He expected her to withdraw, then belatedly realized she didn’t need to come up for air as she continued until she had completely taken him in, her throat tight around him.

“God,” he groaned out as her hands pinned him down so he couldn’t thrust, couldn’t do anything but squirm as she finally slid back up, her gaze locking with his. Now all of her teeth were sharp, her eyes glittering at him as she yanked down one side of his jeans. She lowered her head and reached deeply into his mind as she sank her teeth into his upper thigh. The pain was momentary, followed by a pleasure so intense that he could barely stand it. Her amusement slid through him as she prevented him from having an orgasm, causing him to twist and shudder, bending over double, wrapping his arms around her and cradling her to him.

“Shania,” he breathed as she began licking where she’d bitten him. She then began working her way over to his erection and once again took him in all the way down. He could just barely feel her teeth, not caring how precarious his position was as he thrust upward, falling back onto the bed and digging his hands into the bedclothes. She dragged her nails along his chest and he gasped, felt desire gather into his loins and it was his undoing. Release, when it came, was long and intense, making him nearly come off the bed as shudder after violent shudder went through him.

Still hard, he thought wildly as she began licking her way up his body. Her tongue flicked at one nipple, causing it to bead and harden. She then moved to the other one, laughing when he moaned and thrust up against her. Then it was little nips with her teeth, stopping just short of biting. Instead, she moved up a couple of inches and bit down. He tunneled his hands into her hair and cried out as the sweet anguish of ecstasy overwhelmed him. At that precise moment she lowered herself onto him and he slid into her, thrusting helplessly, holding onto her for dear life.

Her mouth came down on his again and he savored the feel of her tongue sliding inside of his mouth. He returned the favor, tracing her teeth, probing deftly while he grasped her breasts and began raking his thumbs across her nipples. Moving away from her mouth, he bent his head to suck first on one nipple, then the other, moving side to side. One hand moved down to where they were joined and began sliding along her swollen heat. He was rewarded with soft hissing noises and fingernails digging into his shoulders. That’s what he wanted, he thought as he relished in her arousal. 

Her mouth left his and began trailing down his cheek to his neck. “Bite me, John,” she hissed out, pulling him near her neck.

“I’m not sure… I mean, I don’t know if I…”

“Do your best. Just… try.”

He nuzzled her neck, feeling suddenly very uncertain of himself. Still, it was what she wanted, he realized, feeling her tongue flick out at his neck. He did the same to her and she growled, digging her fingers into his hair. Timing had to be perfect, he told himself as she opened her mouth, her breath warming his skin. As she bit down he did the same, both of them hanging onto each other as blind ecstasy overwhelmed them. Her nails raked down his back as he thrust up into her, the sweet release of orgasm, both hers and his, filling him. 

With a swift move he pushed her onto her back and slid into her again, pounding his pelvis against hers and enjoying watching her come undone again. “That’s it, love,” he groaned out just before another climax swept through him. “You look bloody fantastic like this, all hot and ready for me. Come again for me, love… that’s it.”

She arched up into him and let out a wail, wrapping herself tightly around him as he gave one last thrust, then sank against her, burying his face into her neck. Already the bruising where he’d bitten her was fading, he thought with relief as he dropped a soft kiss on her silky flesh. He lifted his head to gaze into her eyes, watching as they slowly returned to normal. He gave her a long, tender kiss, enjoying her response.

“Now, of course, I’ll be spoiled for this,” he said teasingly, watching a smile break out on her face.

“You may not think so when you see the damage I did to your neck,” she replied, tracing the bite marks gently with her fingertips.

“Ah, I’ll heal just fine.” 

“You really ought to take a look.”

Reluctantly he got out of bed and went over to the dresser mirror. There he paused and tipped his head to one side. 

“I’ll be gob smacked. That’s one bloody hell of a hickey, love,” he said with a chuckle, noting the tiny bite marks surrounded by bruising. “It’s safe to say you’ve marked me as yours.”

“You don’t mind?” She sounded surprised, he thought.

“Of course I don’t mind. Remember, I asked for it.” He crawled back into bed and stretched out beside her. “Come here, love,” he added, pulling her head to his chest. She tucked herself close against him and he drowsed off in afterglow.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Shania followed Lauren down to their seats for the final night in the showroom, noticing the smiles she was getting from some of the fans. She nodded and smiled back, feeling a peculiar warmth that she was unaccustomed to. How wonderful these mortals were, she admitted to herself as they sat down in the same seats as the previous night. Soon they would be leaving, with Justin and Lauren going to Monaco, John going with Shania to England, Gray down to Florida, and as for Ray, his story was different. He’d confided to the band that he wasn’t sure how much longer he could stay on board. He wasn’t feeling well as of late and told them he’d let them know before they embarked on a tour of the U.K.

“So, you were right about Ray,” Shania said in a low tone to Lauren. The other woman nodded unhappily.

“He’s very ill and soon it’ll hit him. Hard.”

“That’s really terrible for him.”

“Yeah.”

The overhead lights flickered and everyone went to their seats. As usual, the showroom darkened and the stage lights came on to loud cheers. Some of the women were in tears at the impending departure of their favorite band, something that Shania had no problem understanding. 

Once again the band walked out in their usual order, John next to last. A few gasps went up and Shania could see he hadn’t bothered covering up the sizeable bite mark on the side of his neck. She heard Lauren laugh, then got a nudge from her.

“Showed him the other side, huh?” Lauren teased softly. “And let me guess – he asked you to.”

“He did. He says he’s now spoiled for the best.”

“Men!”

“I agree.”

Justin walked out to even more cheers, pausing to smile at his consort, then winking slyly at Shania. He then rolled his eyes and shook his head at John before counting off for “Tuesday Afternoon.”

* * *

“Fine night for this,” John said softly as they walked on the patio rooftop of the Paris Hotel. “Gorgeous full moon, gorgeous woman on my arm, all I need now is the finest wine in the world and I’d be in pure heaven.”

She laughed softly and leaned into him. “Too bad it’s all ending. You should be in bed, you know, with that early flight.”

“I’ll sleep on the plane.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her hair. “Now, we’ve went over everything and it’s all settled, right?”

“Right. I’ll arrange to have my items moved to your home in England, I have your address, your phone number, and everything else I need.”

“Please, don’t take too long,” he said quietly. “I have a feeling that being parted from you will be painful.”

“I won’t, beloved. I live in a one-room furnished apartment, so I have very little to move. The biggest headache is getting myself moved and passed through customs. But, all they’ll find is an empty crate, if I time it right. I’ve done this before. Been awhile, though.”

“There’s something else I’d like to talk over with you,” John said, taking a deep breath. “First off, I want us to get married and hope you’ll say yes.”

“I would be more than happy to have you as my husband and consort,” she replied, smiling broadly as he leaned down to kiss her. 

“Secondly, I’ve given some thought to turning and…”

He got no further as a loud boom rang out and something whizzed past his head. They both whirled to see Wanda standing a few feet away, her shaking hands pointing a gun straight at him. Tears streaked down her face and her eyes were wide with anguish.

“Marry him? You? When I’ve been waiting all these years, and he wants to marry a vampire? First Justin, now you? John, this can’t be right.” Wanda was sobbing.

“Wanda, put the gun down,” he said softly, wishing his heartbeat would slow down. Had to remain calm, but it was difficult when he was looking down the barrel of a loaded pistol. “You don’t want to do this.”

_John, let me take care of her._

_No._

“I don’t want to do this, but you leave me with no choice. You let this… thing do that to you…”

“Shania isn’t a ‘thing,’ Wanda, and it’s high time you realized that. It’s also time for you to get a grip on reality.” He took another deep breath and stepped forward, only to have her straighten, her eyes growing cold.

“What reality? A marriage I can’t stand, a daughter I didn’t want to begin with? It’s always been you, John, since I first laid eyes on you.”

“Then get a divorce, let him have custody of your daughter, and be done with it.”

“Divorce? I have no skills. It’s his money that gets me to concerts.”

“Forget the concerts, Wanda,” he said gently. “Go back to school, learn how to earn a living and join the real world with the rest of us.”

For a moment John saw the faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. “I d-don’t know if I can. But…”

A mist rose about them and vanished to reveal Justin and Lauren standing next to them. Justin let out a low snarl and stepped forward, only to have the gun pointed at him. Slowly he began circling the others, Lauren coming up the other side, eyes glowing. Lauren hissed with all of the emotions slamming into her and paused to close her eyes and concentrate. 

Wanda then laughed and swung the pistol back to John, causing all three vampires to pause in fear of making the wrong move. 

“Bullets won’t hurt their kind. How silly of me. No, John, I’ve decided what I’m going to do. If I can’t have you, no one, especially this thing you call a woman, will have you.” 

John leaped forward, only to hear the roar of gunfire and a sharp pain go through him just before he hit the paved rooftop. Shania scrambled to his side and pulled him to her, screaming out his name. Justin grabbed Wanda and tried to pry the gun from her hands, only to have her break away from him, pointing the gun at her own temple.

“Don’t do it,” Justin said softly. Lauren was making her way up behind the woman, and if he could just hold her off for a few more seconds…

Wanda laughed again, then began to cry, another shot ringing out into the night as she sank to the pavement. Lauren gasped and reeled, tears streaking down her cheeks as Justin caught her. He cradled his consort in his arms, staring with horror down at the woman who now lay dead at their feet.

“Justin! Lauren!” Shania was cradling John’s head in her lap, anguish written all over her face. Immediately they knelt next to John, Lauren reaching for his temples.

“John, stay with us,” she said quietly, swiftly reaching down into his mind. “Dear God, she really got him good. We need to call 9-1-1, and quickly.”

“Too late,” John rasped out, struggling to breathe. “God, it hurts.” He gazed at Shania. “My love, I’m so sorry.”

“There is a way,” Justin said, giving his friend a hard look. In the background they heard police sirens go off. “And you’d bloody well better make up your mind, Rocker, because the police are on their way.”

“Turn me.” His voice had faded to a whisper and his eyes were closing. Rapidly Shania lifted her hand and bit down on her fingertip until blood flowed, then inserted her finger into his mouth. At first nothing happened and for a moment they feared it was too late. Suddenly his tongue flicked at her finger, then his hand reached up to seize hers while he sucked more deeply. His eyes fluttered open and he took in a deep breath, then let it out, his eyes widening at what he was experiencing.

“Let’s get down to our room now,” Justin said grimly as they heard the tires of the squad cars squealing on the pavement in front of the hotel. “We’ll look him over there.”

“I’ll transport him.” Shania vanished, taking John with her. The other two looked at each other, nodded, and went off into the mist to join them.

* * *

She turned over in her bed, her mind awhirl with the evening’s events. That had been a wonderful concert, to be sure. But why did Wanda go up to the roof and commit suicide? She’d never forget the horror she felt when the EMTs rolled her out on a gurney and the whispers came back to her of Wanda’s despair over John Lodge finally causing her to crack. Thank God she hadn’t taken John with her, Leah thought, remembering the horrified look on Wanda’s face when John had walked out onto the stage that night. One look at his neck had told the entire story. 

Leah sighed and gave her pillow another punch. She’d have to sleep on the plane at this rate, she thought, letting out a sigh. She could go down and play the slots, but for some reason her mind wouldn’t let the thought become action. So, instead she lay awake, staring at the ceiling. 

Wait a minute, she thought, seeing mist rise up around her bed and fading to reveal four people. “Justin? John? What are you doing here?” She sat up in bed and stared at the four as Justin moved to sit on the edge of the bed and reached out to lay his hand on hers. John did the same, although he did look a little wan, she noticed, taking in the way he swayed a little. Lauren and Shania sat at the foot of the bed, their expressions troubled and sad.

“You heard about Wanda, right?” Justin said softly. Right then she noticed he looked several years younger and her eyes widened as she nodded. “Well, she tried to kill John, then killed herself. Almost succeeded in getting him, too.”

“I don’t understand any of this. If she shot John then…” Her voice trailed off. “They saved your life by turning you into one of them.”

John nodded, leaning back against Shania for support. “It’ll take a few days, but yeah, that’s what happened. I’m still a little queasy after having Justin remove that bloody bullet. I didn’t want to carry it around with me as a memory of a fan gone wrong.”

“So, why are you here?”

“Leah, I don’t know how to tell you this, but,” Justin paused for a moment, then plunged on, “we’re leaving. Not just for Europe, but for a very long time. Tonight was just too much.”

Leah felt her throat constrict and tears form in her eyes. “And you’re telling me this because?”

“Because you’ve always been the one we could trust. Because you were the one that rallied up the fans to support us when we needed you the most. We’ll leave it to you to get the word out to those particular people.”

Now the tears flowed freely. “Will you be back?”

“Eventually,” John finally said. “Performing is what we do, and I can’t see us staying away from it for too long. When we do return it might not be as us, though.”

“So, grow younger and start all over?”

Justin nodded. “Seems like a plan, anyway. Who knows? Maybe our kind will be accepted by then. Shania says there’s a whole slew of vampire bands and clubs in Scandinavia. You never know.”

“Please, try to come back while I’m still alive to enjoy it.” She wiped hurriedly at her eyes, then gave Justin a long, sad look. “One request before you go. Drink from me. Please. And… show me what lies inside. I’ve always wanted to know.”

Justin looked over at his wife, who nodded in return. “Okay, I can do that.” He stretched out next to Leah, letting his head rest on her shoulder. “Relax, love,” he whispered, smoothing her hair as he bent his head to her neck. 

Leah let out a gasp as Justin sank her teeth into her neck, her eyes closing as the beauty of his soul washed over her. Memories of his childhood, his family, his first guitar… onto his first band, and the great love he had always talked about, but never actually revealed. Joining the Moody Blues at the age of nineteen, his marriage to Marie, the birth of Doremi, the moment he laid eyes on Lauren – all that and more slid through her mind. She clung to him, sobbing as he gently drank from her. All the while she wept at the emptiness that he would leave when he was gone. She conveyed her love to him and felt his gentle, inward smile as he lifted his head and smoothed her hair again.

“Whatever shall we do?” she asked, gazing into his eyes. “I’ve centered my life around all of you, as have others. Without you we’ll be lost. And please don’t say follow other bands, because I’ve tried.”

Justin gave her a sad smile and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Leah.”

“And you, John. Can I hug you?”

“Of course, love. I’m a little wobbly but I won’t break.”

Leah wrapped her arms around John, buried her face in his chest and cried. “Thank you, all of you, for bringing so much meaning into my life. Our lives. Your music means a lot to so many people and you know something? Not only the music, but the ones sharing it with us. You mean something to us. Never forget that.”

John dropped a kiss on the top of her head and murmured, “We won’t.” Gently he released her and stood up with the others. “Try not to forget us,” he added lightly. 

“I’ll never forget you. Any of you.” She watched as the mist rose around them and they vanished. Leah buried her face into her pillow and wept until she fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 

Epilogue – several years later.

Leah sat down in front of her computer, cup of coffee in hand. Time for her nightly browse through the social networks, she thought as she opened up her web browser and went to her favorite network. About a year previous it had opened to the general public, after at first having been only for college students. Now, much to those students’ mortification, their friends and families had joined and were keeping track of each other.

She browsed around, posting replies, sharing pictures, and enjoying conversation with other Moody Blues fans. The fandom hadn’t died after the band had broken up. One secret group she hung out in was always busy, whether it be stories of meeting the guys, pictures they never tired of sharing, videos, or song lyrics. They had been the ones that the Moodies had trusted all those years ago, and they shared a common bond.

Justin had been right about the vampire bands from Scandinavia. They began coming to the States to perform, much to the shock of the country’s citizens. Still, if there was one thing Americans were both good and bad at, it was acceptance of the unusual. Fortunately the good was winning out and other vampires were coming out of the closet. Or the coffin, she thought wryly, although modern vampires didn’t use coffins.

Suddenly her friend icon lit up and she stared at it for a moment. Wonder who that was? she thought as she clicked on it to reveal several friendship requests. Immediately she started to shake all over, for there was no mistaking who Jason Hampton, Jeremy Lancaster, Lauren Hampton and Shania Lancaster were. Quickly she accepted the requests, and immediately a chat session opened in front of her, indicating all four were there.

_Hello!_ she typed. _Lovely to see you again, my friends!_

_Just wanted to let you know we’re back._ Justin was typing rapidly, obviously used to computers by now. _As ourselves. We’re going back to the beginning, young again, starting with “Days of Future Passed,” along with some new material. We’ll work our way up the catalogue as time goes._

_As vampires?_

_Yes. Things have changed for our kind and we feel the time is right. Don’t expect us to dress the same way, though. We’ve grown terribly fond of a darker look._

_Goth?_

_Somewhat._

_That I gotta see. When?_

_The dates will be announced soon. The promoters are lining up a lot of gigs for us in the US and the UK. The Nocturnal Blue Tour, they’re calling it. And you won’t believe this._

_What?_

_The rest are joining, too. Gray got tired of growing old, Ray was diagnosed with cancer, and Mike jumped at the chance to be young again._

“Mike?” she said aloud, then typed it. _That’s fantastic news. So, what can I do for you guys? Just name it._

John started typing and she waited patiently.

_Spread the word, love. You know to whom._

_BTW,_ Justin typed, _these are our secret aliases and we’d prefer to keep them that way._

_Not a problem. Thanks for trusting me._

_We’ll always trust you, Leah._

_Catch you later,_ John added.

_Thanks for everything,_ Lauren typed, sending a rush of psychic warmth to Leah.

Shania put up a heart and a smiling emoticon.

They signed off and Leah stared at her screen, then looked at her chat list. _Ah, another fan, Gina, was online._ She clicked on her name and brought up a chat window.

_Hey, you._

_Whassup, Leah?_

_You are not going to believe this. Simply not going to believe this._

There was a long pause and then Gina began typing. One word came out – _AAAEEEEEIII!_

_Yup. We’re to spread the word among the trusted ones. I’ll go post the details in the group._

Leah let out a sigh and leaned back in her chair. Finally, something to look forward to, she thought as she clicked on the Moody Hangout and started a new post.


End file.
